Latest News

QMI Agency

Mar 4, 2013

, Last Updated: 5:17 PM ET

Every non-playoff NHL club will now have a shot at the first overall pick in the draft, the league announced Monday.

The 2013 draft lottery, to be held April 29, will be the first to see all 14 clubs that have not qualified for the post-season – or teams that have acquired the first-round pick of one such club – get a chance to make the first selection at the draft.

The lottery will still work on a weighted system – the team that finished the season with the fewest points will have the best odds of winning the No. 1 pick – and no club can move down more than one spot in the draft order.

The likelihood a team can win the first overall pick, from the club with the fewest points to 14th, is as follows: 25%, 18.8%, 14.2%, 10.7%, 8.1%, 6.2%, 4.7%, 3.6%, 2.7%, 2.1%, 1.5%, 1.1%, 0.8% and 0.5%.

Under the previous system, only the bottom five teams had a chance at the first pick as no team could move up more than four spots.

The 2013 NHL draft will be held June 30 at the Prudential Center in New Jersey.